'Walking Dead': Andrew Lincoln Eyes Season 10 Return as Director

Victoria Will/AMC

The outgoing star has announced his intention to direct a future episode of the AMC zombie drama.

Earlier this year, in announcing his departure from The Walking Dead, star Andrew Lincoln stressed that his "relationship with Rick Grimes [was] far from over." It would appear the outgoing star of the AMC zombie drama is living up to his word, with an eye on a new role in the Walking Dead universe.

In a new interview, Lincoln states his intention to return to The Walking Dead, albeit in an unexpected capacity: as a director. The erstwhile Sheriff Grimes tells EW he intends to direct an episode of the AMC series "next year," a process he's beginning by returning to the show's Georgia shooting location to shadow a director.

The Hollywood Reporter has confirmed Lincoln's return to set to shadow, though representatives for the show would not confirm that Lincoln is directing an episode in season 10; indeed, the series has yet to be renewed past the forthcoming ninth season.

As for Lincoln's motivation for directing, the actor tells EW, "I can't be that far away because I can't bear it. That's how much I am invested in the show and the continuation of the story." The remarks line up with what Lincoln said at Comic-Con, when he announced his exit from the series: "Norman [Reedus, who plays Daryl] and Danai [Gurira, who plays Michonne] send me scripts so I can keep one eye on the series."

Lincoln becomes the latest Walking Dead cast member to make the leap from on-screen work to directing, following Fear the Walking Dead actor Colman Domingo and Michael Cudlitz, who directed season nine's seventh episode.

Before he leaps behind the camera, Lincoln will first depart the Walking Dead universe as Rick Grimes. The exact details behind his departure are still a large question heading into the ninth season. Rick remains alive and well in the comic books from Robert Kirkman and Charlie Adlard, as does his son, Carl (Chandler Riggs), who was killed off in season eight of the show.